Clash of the Titans Page #6

MARMARA:

At the beginning of time, when Man

was young, he prayed to the Gods.

His belief in the Gods gave his

life meaning. It was a good

thing.

(CONTINUED)

17.

CONTINUED:

SPYROS:

If you consider superstition, fear

and darkness good things...

MARMARA:

(IGNORING HIM)

But Man grew, as children do, and

he turned away from the Gods. Be

began to put his faith in other

things.

Perseus watches the debate with fiery eyes.

TEKLA:

What things?

SPYROS:

Learning, science... love.

PERSEUS:

(PASSIONATE)

self-determination! Those

things that give Man dignity and

independence.

MARMARA:

But what of the Gods, who had

protected and guided us so long?

They must breathe our prayers to

survive. They hunger for

WORSHIP --

SPYROS:

-- as lions hunger for blood.

MARMARA:

Spyros!

(TO TEKLA)

Your father's mind is closed on

these matters.

SPYROS:

The Gods were desperate to claim

our awe again.

TEKLA:

Desperate... the Gods?

SPYROS:

Yes, even the Gods. If they could

not earn our faith with love, they

would demand it with fear.

Whatever was necessary to ensure L

their continued existence.

(CONTINUED)

18.

CONTINUED:

Marmara and the wide-eyed Tekla sit down.

MARMARA:

And that is how war broke out

between Man and Gods.

(turning to serve

PERSEUS)

Now eat your dinner, which the

Gods -- and your father -- have

provided.

INT. HOME OF SPYROS - PERSEUS' ROOM - NIGHT

Middle of the night. Perseus lies wide awake in his tiny

space. He stares, thinking about his friend. Suddenly,

a KNOCK at the door.

INT. HOME OF SPYROS - DOORWAY - NIGHT

Perseus opens the door to the Wilting Girl. Her beauty

electrifies him. She glows from within, but her color is

oddly faded, washed-out.

PERSEUS:

You... I saw you watching our boat

at the cliff.

WILTING GIRL:

It was not the boat I was

watching.

PERSEUS:

Can I be of service?

WILTING GIRL:

Yes, of service. I need you to

come with me on a journey.

Perseus gives her a look.

PERSEUS:

Right now?

(as she nods)

It wouldn't take much persuading

to get me to leave this village,

but tonight is impossible. My

family can't wake and find me

gone. Where do you want me to go?

WILTING GIRL:

It's not what I want. I am in the

service of others.

(CONTINUED)

19.

CONTINUED:

Perseus can't get over her beauty, the dulcet sound of

her voice. Even so --

PERSEUS:

Come back in the morning and we

can talk about it.

WILTING GIRL:

I'm sorry.

PERSEUS:

For what?

Perseus doesn't notice the black widow spider scurry

between her feet. Then a centipede, a scorpion. Then a

swarm, racing toward him.

He feels the first spider and looks down. The creatures

climb his legs, biting. Weakening from the venom, he

stumbles back into the table, loses his balance and

falls.

PERSEUS' WOOZY POV

The Wilting Girl standing placidly in the doorway

watching him.

BACK TO SCENE:

He blacks out.

EXT. SMALL SAILBOAT (OPEN SEA) - DAY

A white sail, swollen with wind, draws the small boat

swiftly across the sea. The Wilting Girl, alone, sits

quietly at the stern, effortlessly steering.

CLOSER:

We SEE that she is also watching Perseus, who is sleeping

in a makeshift bed in the bottom of the boat. Her eyes

slowly travel over his bronzed, muscled frame. There are

bite marks on his legs and arms, but they seem to be

healing as we look at them.

Perseus stirs and wakes, squinting up at the Wilting

Girl.

PERSEUS:

How long have I been out?

(CONTINUED)

20.

CONTINUED:

WILTING GIRL:

This time? Only a few hours. The

time before, almost a day. How

was your rest?

PERSEUS:

I had a dream. I fell into a dark

pit. I thought I would never stop

falling. But a beam of light

formed a soft net, caught me and

tossed me back.

TheWilting Girl watches him.

PERSEUS:

When I came back up to the world,

a beautiful woman appeared and

spoke to me. But as she spoke she

would sometimes disappear into the

whiteness with a strange sound.

PERSEUS' POV

The Wilting Girl listens to his story.

BACK TO SCENE:

PERSEUS:

When I could hear her, she spoke

nonsense. She said that my father

was a God and my mother a --

At that moment the blinding-white sail swings between

them as she tacks, obscuring his view of her for a

moment. The wind makes a LOUD SNAPPING SOUND in the

cloth. Then she reappears, the sail on her other side.

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